The 2025 football season saw three area teams win section titles and make state. Mabel-Canton (11-1) ended a four-plus decades long drought in starting the year 11-0 and winning the Section 1 9-Man title, making state for the first time since 1981. Fillmore Central (10-1) started the year 10-0, grabbing its third 1A title in four years. Caledonia (9-3) added another state participant notch to its belt in Section 1AA. Spring Grove (8-3), Kingsland (6-3), Chatfield (6-3), and Houston (5-4) also finished above five-hundred. LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle/Pacelli finished 5-5. Teams from Rushford-Peterson (3-6), Grand Meadow (2-7) and Lanesboro (1-8) were below the Mason-Dixon line of winning. The biggest change this year is Blooming Prairie and Hayfield combined for football (as of mid-summer). The Mid-South Green will now have a nine-week season, a zero-week with a bye. Scheduling is also changed with an early MEA break in October. The last two weeks of the season will both feature mid-week games versus traditionally just the final game on Wednesday.
Looking for another 1A title will be the Fillmore Central Falcons. Chris Mensink’s group is amidst its program’s strongest run of football ever. Last year’s Falcons breezed to the Mid-South Green (5-0) and Section 1A titles. They beat Lewiston-Altura 34-21 to make state. But the Falcons were ousted 29-26 against Murray County Central in the state quarters, having rallied from a 29-12 hole. FC finished at 10-1. The Falcons had just five seniors. Three key departures were All-District picks Kane Larson (6’1” 190 RB/LB), Cody Serfling (5’11” 185 RB/LB > 32-316, 4 TDs rushing; 21-306, 8 TDs receiving), and Brody Niemeyer (6’1” 250 OL/DL). Larson (193-1,336 yards, 25 TDs rushing, 12-210, TD receiving; team-best 82 total tackles) was notably the sub-district Most Valuable Player, a three-year starter. But the Falcons return three A-D picks, a cast headed by third-year starting quarterback Bridon Bahl (6’0” 190 Sr.). The sub-district QB of the Year, Bahl (89 of 127, 71%, 1,636 yards) threw 24 TDs versus just three interceptions. He added a trio of rushing TDs and 27% of his passes went for scores. Helping him will be large returning A-D lineman Joseph Otto (6’2” 280 Sr. OL/DL) and Ryan Schroeder (6’0” 265 Sr. OL/DL), who are also third-year players. FC also had five A-D HM picks last year and four return. Quinci Kaase (6’1” 185 Sr. RB/DB > 65-804 yards, 4 TDs rushing; 26-416, 7 TDs receiving; 57 tackles) and Rylan Ristau (6’3” 190 Jr. WR/DB > 26-357, 4 TDs receiving) are two key weapons. Will Boettcher (6’1” 190 Sr. OL/DL) and Ashton Newman (5’11” 170 Sr. OL/LB > 55 tackles) are key guys in the trenches and/or defensively. Grant Daniels (6’0” 175 RB/LB > 12-91, TD rushing; 4-62, TD receiving; 65 tackles) contributor big as just a freshman. Jeremiah Bushman (5’11” 175 Sr. OL/DL > 41 tackles), Jackson Shanahan (5’9” 155 Sr. WR/DB), Jake Kotek (5’10” 165 Sr. RB/DB), and Logan Illg (6’2” 160 Sr. OL/DE) also saw extensive action. Parker Krage (6’0” 165 RB/DB), Jackson Hildebrandt (5’11” 175 RB/LB), Kalen Collins (5’10” 160 WR/DB), Treyton Wangen (5’9” 145 WR/DB), Gavin Miller (5’11” 180 OL/DL), Brady Nagel (6’0” 210 OL/DL), and Carston Grabau (5’9” 235 OL/DL) join with the above to give the Falcons a 16-man senior class. Speedsters Krage and Adrian Rindels (6’4” 190 Jr WR/DB) are wild cards after missing all or parts of last year to injury. Rindels made state in the 100-meters in the spring. FC gets started with an August 28 zero-week game at Medford. They then play J-W-P, Southland, BP/Hayfield, and USC before a bye week. Only the Southland game is on the road. They finish with NRHEG (home), Lewiston-Altura (away), and St. Clair (away).
For the second time in three years last season, Caledonia claimed the 1AA football title. Carl Freuchte’s Warriors started 1-2, but rallied with eight straight wins, the last over Lourdes 19-3 to claim the section title. The Warriors then fell to Roman Voss led Jackson County Central 41-15 in the state quarters. JCC repeated as state champ. Caledonia finished another successful state year at 9-3. The Warriors had 11 seniors. The most key departures were All-Southeast-Yellow selections, sub-district Offensive Player of the Year Will Allen (6’0” 175 QB/LB > 94 of 164, 1,470 yards, 14 TDs, 6 INTs passing; 106-493, 5 TDs rushing; two pick sixes defensively), sub-district Defensive Player of the Year Noah Schroeder (6’1” 185 TE/RB/DE > team-second best 64 total tackles; 57-296, team-high 7 TDs rushing), and Jack Schmitz (RB/S > 44-336 yards, 5 TDs rushing; 35 tackles). A-D honorable selection picks Zeke Gengler (WR/CB > team-high four interceptions) and Maddox Walk (OL/DL) also graduated. But the Warriors return two All-District picks in Grant King (6’2” 165 QB/WR/S) and Cooper Allen (6’0” 215 OL/LB) and four A-D HM selections in Coby Hammell (6’2” 190 Sr. WR/LB > 21-415, 5 TDs receiving), Bo Knutson (5’11” 190 Sr. RB/WR/LB > 51 total tackles, three sacks), Tyson Ginther (5’10” 160 Sr. OL/LB > 55 tackles, interception return TD), and Max Schmitz (5’10” 175 Jr. OL/DL > 57 total tackles, team-high 8 sacks). King played quarterback to start last year but ended as the team’s’top receiver (30-541, 8 TDs). Middle linebacker Allen led the defense in total tackles with 114. The long and explosive Hammell is a D-I prospect. Caledonia had seven guys with over 100 yards rushing. Knutson (28-188, TD rushing) and Chase Hauser (Jr. RB/DB > 40-265, 3 TDs rushing) the top returning rushers. King and Hammell were last year’s top two receivers. Defensively, where the Warriors had 23 sacks, 15 interceptions, and three pick sixes, four of the top five tacklers return. Jacob Klug (Sr. WR/CB > 34 total tackles, three interceptions), Charlie Mauss (Jr. OL/DL) and Rae’Shaun Smith (Jr. OL/DL) are a trio of other key returnees. Liam Kupietz (WR/DB) joins J-Klug, Hammell, Knutson, and Ginther, as the Warriors have just five seniors. They have 11 juniors. The Warriors are both kind of young but also kind of experienced. Short on upperclassmen, staying healthy is a key. They get their season started by hosting R-P in a game where Cal will seek revenge for a loss last year. The Warriors are then at St. Charles and Triton before hosting D-E. In the second half, they are at Lourdes (at RCTC), host Randolph, play at rival Chatfield in week seven, then finish hosting La Crescent/Hokah.
Mabel-Canton enters this year having had their best season, probably ever. Last year was whirlwind year for Paul Tollefsrud’s Cougars. They won the conference/district for the first time since 2004 and made state for the first time since 1981 (when coach Tollefsrud was still a toddler). Included was beating rival Spring Grove twice including 16-0 for the 9-Man Section 1 title. But the Cougars fell in the state quarters agonizingly, scoring late, but failing to convert a game-tying two-point try versus Hillcrest Lutheran in a 40-38 defeat. They finished an unforgettable run at 11-1, notching a school record for wins. And graduation took its toll. Eight seniors moved on. All five of M-C’s All-Southeast District picks were seniors; Isaac Underbakke (QB/DB), Kale Tollefsrud (RB/DB), Milton Hutchinson (OL/DL), Kenny Hutchinson (OL/DL), and Darian Hershberger (OL/LB/P). Tollefsrud (169-1,131 yards, 20 TDs rushing; 31-582 yards, 8 TDs receiving; four interceptions, 131 tackles) notably shared the sub-district’s Back of the Year award. Underbakke shared the ‘]Defensive Player of the Year’] honor (nine interceptions, 126 total tackles) and he accounted for almost 1,700 yards total offense (122-721 yards, 13 TDs rushing; 61 of 99, 977 yards, 16 TDs, 5 INTs passing). The Cougars’ top two holdovers are A-D honorable mention picks, Kale Eiken (Sr. RB/LB > 156-890 yards, 9 TDs rushing; 13-173, TD receiving; 99 tackles) and Brevyn Tollefsrud (Jr. RB/LB > 40-338, 2 TDs rushing; 6-97, 2 TDs receiving; 92 tackles). Two other key returnees are Nolan Garness (Jr. QB/DB > three interceptions) and Josh Whitney (Jr. RB/DB> 55 total tackles). Jayce Austin (So. RB/DB), Hunter Kelly (Sr. OL/DL), and Treyson Tollefsrud (So. OL/LB) had double-digit tackles last year. The Cougars have just four seniors, Eiken, Kelly, Riley Gerard (OL/DL), and Kalen Wangen (RB/DB). M-C gets started by hosting GM, then plays at Houston and Lanesboro back-to-back. They then host Faribault B.A. before going to L-O/L/P. They finish with home games versus Spring Grove week six and W-K week eight while going to Kingsland week seven.
The Chatfield Gophers got off to a fantastic start last year, winning their first six games (on the way to sharing the Southeast-Yellow sub-district title). But injuries and playing strong teams Caledonia (1AA Champs), Pine Island (1AAA Champs), and Rochester-Lourdes (1AA Runner-Up) late saw the Gophers’ season end with a sputter. The Eagles downed Chatfield 21-7 in the 1AA semis, as the Gophers finished 6-3. Jeff Johnson’s group will look to keep up the winning and finish stronger this year. Chatfield has gone 49-9 since the shortened COVID and its last non-winning season was a 5-5 campaign in 2017. The team of the Chosen Valley had seven All-Southeast Yellow picks last year but five were seniors; Mitchel Hinckley (6’0” 200 OL/DL), Kaisen Johnson (5’9” 150 WR/S), D’Andre Williams (6’0” 195 RB/DL), Jackson Bernard (6’1” 215 OL/DL), and Will Boelter (6’5” 225 OL/DL). Hinckley and Johnson were each two-time A-D picks, the former the sub-district Lineman of the Year, the later the team’s leading receiver (19-303, 4 TDs; 20-134 rushing). Williams (125-849, 7 TDs rushing) was notably their top rusher. That leaves Sean Kirchner (6’2” 185 Sr. OT/DE > 4 sacks) and Logan Pearson (5’8” 150 Jr. WR/S) as the two returning A-D selections. All-district honorable mention picks Hunter Polikowksy (5’9” 175 Jr. RB/LB > 43-252, 3 TDs rushing), Ross Stoehr (6’0” 170 Sr. TE/LB/K), and Carter Ask (6’2” 185 Sr. QB/S > 57 of 119, 749 yards, 8 TDs, 5 INTs passing; three rushing TDs) also return, the later at starting quarterback. From there, Eli Manahan (5’11” 180 Jr. G/LB), Ezra Schild (6’0” 170 Sr. FB/LB), Corbin Horsman (6’2” 245 Jr. G/DE), and Brooks Lea (6’4” 200 Jr. WR/DE) should be impactful players. Sam Carrier (5’11” 165 Sr. WR/S), Charlie Heppding (5’11” 300 DT/G), Lane Schmaltz (6’1” 150 WR/CB), Simon Erding (5’10” 155 WR/CB), Owen VanBuskirk (5’10” 240 C/DT), Kane Larson (6’2” 315 C/DT), and Kingston Lane (5’10” 165 TE/LB) join Schild, Ask, Stoehr, and Kirchner to form an 11-man senior class. Sophomores Brenden Kobs (6’0” 185 FB/LB) and Nolan Happel (6’3” 175 QB/LB) are a couple key underclassmen who played some last year as freshman. Coach Johnson likes the physical strength and depth of his team. The Gophers get it going at Lourdes (at RCTC) and D-E to start the season. They then host Cannon Falls and Triton. In the second half, they play road games at R-P and St. Charles, then finish at home with Caledonia and Pine Island.
Spring Grove reached the section finals for the third time in the last four seasons a year ago, finishing at 8-3 with two losses versus section champ Mabel-Canton. Six of the 11 games were not decided until the final minute with the Grove going 3-3 in those close encounters. During the regular nine-player season, the Lions shared the runner-up spot with Kingsland, both at 5-2, in the East Sub-District. With the 2-seed, SG won playoff games over Grand Meadow and Wabasha-Kellogg. Three of the five All-District selections graduated: scoring leader Ricardo Reynolds (6’2” 225 WR/RB/DB/LB/P > 1,119 yards all-purpose running, 85 tackles), college commit Tysen Moen (6’2” 305 OL/DL) and Devon Williams (6’3” 225 TE/OL/DL). Two A-D standouts return: senior quarterback Dylan Halverson (6’2” 160 > 1,186 yards, 13 TD passing; team-high 735 yards, 10 TDs rushing) and leading receiver Caden Gerard (6’0” Sr. 190 WR/RB/DB > 27-504 yards, 6 TDS receiving), who set a SG season record with eight defensive interceptions and may be adding ball-carrying duties this year. Also back is A-D HM pick Sam Klug (5’11” Sr. WR/LB > team high 95 tackles). Another key returnee is Ezra Konkel (5’9” Jr. RB/WR/LB/DH). No one is more important to the spread offense than center Travis Fisch (6’2” 235 Sr.), the only returning starter from the offensive line. No starters return from the defensive line. Help should come from juniors Izaak Morken (6’1”, 235 OL/DL) and Max Thorson (6’1”, 170 OL/DL), both lettering last year as sophomores. Expect major contributions from Blake Eiken (6’1”, 180 So. OL/DL). Half of the eight linemen are freshmen. There are eight returning letter winners, including Alex Gleason (5’11”, 150 Jr. WR/DB). There are only four seniors. The Lions’ first two games are at L-O/L/P and at Faribault B.A. There are later road trips to M-C (game six) and AC/G-E (game eight). There are three straight home games against Houston (week three), W-K (week four) and Kingsland (week five). Lanesboro visits for game seven.
Houston was 5-2 at one-point last season (topping rival Spring Grove 24-18), but late injuries harpooned the ending of the season. The ‘Canes fell to L-O/L/P 37-0 in the opening round of the Section 1 9-Man playoffs and finished 5-4. Team double-H starts the year with a new coach. Head basketball guy Marcus Teachout takes over for Cody Hungerholt. He inherits a group that had four A-D picks but three graduated in Axel Vix (6’0” 250 RB/TE/LB/P > 433 yards rushing, 240 yards receiving, 8 total TDs), Logan Kinstler (6’1” 240 LB/DE/OL), and Grayden Beckman (5’10” 200 TE/LB). Vix was a chess piece for the Hurricanes, Kinstler the South-East Lineman of the Year, and Beckman the team’s leading tackler. But they were three of just four seniors to move on. Houston’s lone returning A-D selection is third-year starting running back Lee Klunder (5’10” 180 RB/DB). The senior led the team in rushing a season ago (102-970 yards, 12 TDs), just missing 1,000 yards while missing multiple games to injury. The Hurricanes also return their two South-East A-D HM picks in quarterback Hector Steinfeldt (5’11” 170 Sr. QB/DB > 22 or 52, 467 yards, 6 TDs, 7 INTs passing; three defensive interceptions) and Elliot Frauenkron (6’1” 190 Sr. RB/DE > 42-249 yards rushing, 3-134 yards, 2 TDs receiving; four sacks). From there, Coltin Groth (OL/DL), Isaac Brand (RB/LB), and Collin Adank (OL/DL) are key other key returning seniors while Sean Clay (WR/DB) rounds out a seven-man class. Atreyu Florin (TE/DE), Colton VanGundy (TE/DL), Brady Krage (WR/DB), Mason VanGundy (WR/DB), and Carter Thompson (OL/DL) are returning juniors. Aaren Kulas (So. RB/LB), Tilden Witt (So. QB/LB), Dawson Geiwitz (OL/DL), and Casey Nation (TE/DL) are notable returning sophomores. Houston gets going by hosting Lanesboro and then defending section champ M-C. They then are at SG and AC/G-E. In the second half, they host W-K before going to GM and B.A. They finish up at home versus L-O/L/P.
Kingsland was hoping to contend for the South-East and Section 1 9-Man crown again a year ago. The Knights started the year 5-1 before losing to Mabel-Canton, and losing three-year starting quarterback Kaaleem Reiland in the same game (for the season). Kingsland finished the year 6-3, losing to W-K 34-14 in the first round of the 9-Man playoffs. And then this year had not even begun when tragedy struck. Would-be senior starter Nathaniel Drees (WR/CB) was killed in a ATV accident just days before fall practice began. With that, the sometimes-unfair game of life interceded in the game of football. Matt Kolling’s group will look to cope, heal some, and hopefully continue its winning ways this season. Team double-K had a trio of All-District picks last year in the aforementioned Reiland (5’8” 195 QB/CB/P), Carter Strobel (5’8” 190 C/LB), and KD Reiland. Kaaleem R. (107-991 yards, 14 TDs rushing; 31 of 59, 377 yards, 3 TDs INT passing) nearly eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing in less than a full season. He shared the South-East ‘Back of the Year’ award. The Knights sole returning A-D pick is thus K.D. Reiland (5’8” 225 Sr. RB/LB > 35-233 yards, 3 TDs rushing, 15-153 receiving; team-high 65 tackles), Kaaleem’s younger brother and a fourth-year player. Bently Wiersma (5’10” 185 Sr. RB/LB > 77-521 yards, 4 TDs rushing; team second-best 53 tackles) also returns after making A-D honorable mention. KD and Wiersma should be a good duo. Collin Stuart (6’0” 185 Sr. QB/TE > 22 of 44, 260 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs) gives the Knights a third experienced ball-handler, as he quarterbacked in Kaaleem R.’s absence. Trent Aarsvold (5’7” 155 Jr. RB/DB) and Tate Rasmussen (5’10” 160 So. QB/WR/DB) are two more notable returning backs or receivers. Up front or defensively, Aiden Wendt (6’3” 280 Sr. G/DT > 30 tackles), Sawyer Willford (6’2” 240 Sr. G/DT), and Cody Howard (6’0” 150 Sr. WR/OLB) are back. Kaleb Rainey (6’2” 220 OL/DL) and Donte Smith (5’9” 155) join Wiersma, KD Reiland, Stuart, Wendt, Willford and Howard to give the Knights eight seniors. Kingsland gets rolling on a Thursday by hosting Faribault B.A. They then are at GM, host AC/G-E, and go to L-O/L/P and SG weeks four and five. W-K and M-C come to town weeks six and seven before the Knights finish at Lanesboro.
Coming off a state season in 2024, LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle/Pacelli fell back to middle-of-the-pack last year, going 4-4 in the South-East. Trevor Carrier’s group won an opening round playoff game but fell 29-20 to Mabel-Canton in the Section 1 9-Man semis and finished at 5-5. A trio of Cardinals made All-District in Reid Hungerholt, Carson Roe (5’10” 185 RB/LB > team-leading 121 tackles, 10 ½ sacks; 109-412, 7 TDs rushing, 19-180, 2 TDs receiving), and Talan Lewison (5’11” 155 WR/LB > 54-879 yards, 8 TDS receiving). Roe and Lewison graduated. Roe was notably co-South-East Defensive Player of the Year. Lewison was the team’s top receiver. That leaves the talented Hungerholt (6’3” 175 Sr. QB/DB) as the team’s sole returning A-D selection. The offense ran thru Hungerholt last year as he amassed over 3,000 yards total offense (126 of 270, 1,857 yards, 23 TDs, 11 INTs passing; 202-1,187 yards, 9 TDs rushing). He is probably the league’s most-talented and stat-credentialed returning player. A key target will be returning A-D HM pick Hunter Wollenburg (6’4” 200 Sr. WR/DE > 29-455, 6 TDs receiving; 46 total tackles). Hungerholt and Wollenburg are L-O/L/P’s top returning offensive weapons, as eight total seniors graduated. Mason Janssen (5’9” 145 Sr. WR/LB > 42 tackles) and Marek Leif (5’9” 140 Jr. RB/DB) are a couple more returning backs/receivers/defensive players. In the lines, Landen Ritter (5’10” 260 Sr. OL/DL > 31 tackles) is a key returning cog. A lot of new starting spots are up for grabs for the Cardinals. Hungerholt, Janssen, Ritter, Wollenburg, Joshua Bednar (5’10” 260 OL/DL), and Mason Chappell (OL/DL) are the team’s six seniors. The squad also has eight juniors and eight sophomores. L-O/L/P starts by hosting SG, then they go to W-K and GM, before hosting Kingsland and Mabel-Canton (in Lyle). They finish at Lanesboro, host AC/G-E, and then go to Houston.
Rushford-Peterson moved up to Class AA last season and saw the sledding tougher. Robbie Strand’s Trojans opened the season by topping eventual 1AA champ Caledonia, but went 1-5 in Southeast Yellow play and 3-5 overall. R-P fell to Triton 28-0 in the 1AA quarters and finished at 3-6. R-P had two All-District picks in Jaxson Meldahl (5’10” 180 RB/LB > 79-526, 2 TDs rushing, 10-154, 2 TDs receiving) and Zach Baker (6’1” 200 OL/DL), but both graduated. They were part of an eight-man senior class. R-P’s two A-D honorable mention players return in Carson Johnson (6’1” 175 Sr. RB/DB > 21-125, TD rushing) and Cole Thompson (6’0” 195 Sr. LB/TE > 5-114, 3 TDs receiving). Johnson was the Trojans’ starting QB before a broken hand curtailed that pursuit (though he played defense). Each were key defensive player-makers. From there, Creighton Hoiness (6’1” 180 Sr. QB/DB > 38-124, 3 TDs rushing; 24 of 36, 370 yards, 6 TDs 3 INTs passing), Jaxon Johnson (6’2” 175 Jr. RB/LB > 35-286, 1 TD rushing; 3-72, 2 TDs receiving), and Owen Lange (5’8” 150 Sr. RB/LB) were ball-handlers last year with Hoiness filling in for Johnson at quarterback. Levi Kammerer (6’0” 205 Jr. OL/DL), Chace Drazkowski (6’2” 255 Sr. OL/DL), Brode Vickerman (6’6” 270 Sr. OL/DL), and Jeremiah Kuss (6’3” 275 Jr. OL/DL) will help give R-P a big line up front. Johnson, Thompson, Drazkowski, Vickerman, Lange, Hoiness, Holden Lee (5’10” 200 OL/DL), Jesse Peterson (6’1” 190 TE/DL), and Ryken Anderson (5’8” 155 RB/DB) give the Trojans a 9-man senior class. With said group, R-P will look to move up the ranks, starting with a tough two-step out of the gate, at Caledonia and hosting Triton. The Trojans then host St. Charles and play at Randolph two end the first half of the season. The second half in back-to-back home games with Chatfield and Lourdes followed by road affairs at Dover-Eyota and Kenyon-Wanamingo.
Grand Meadow amassed one more win a year ago than in 2024. The Superlarks went 2-6 in the South-East but fell to Spring Grove 50-6 in the Section 1 9-Man quarters. GM finished at 2-7 after going 1-8 a year previously. GM graduated its sole All-District player in quarterback Carter Glynn (6’3” 185 QB/DB), the team’s leading rusher (151-901 yards, 7 TDs rushing; 42 of 86, 461 yards, 4 TDs, 5 INTs passing; 69 total tackles). He was the biggest of nine seniors to move on. Coach Josh Bain does return his two A-D honorable mention picks in starting center Marshall Bleifus (5’10” 260 OL/DL) and end Logan Grafe (6’5” 215 TE/DE > 77 total tackles, four sacks; 6-148, TD receiving). Parker Armagost (5’11” 155 Sr. RB/LB > 133-565 yards, 1 TD rushing) and Blake Hubbard (5’11” 160 Sr. RB/DB > 26-240 yards, 2 TDs receiving; 2 TDs rushing; 60 tackles) are two very key two-way returnees. Armagost was the team’s leading rusher after Glynn last year. From there, Jackon Soltau (5’9” 155 Sr. QB/DB), Graham Eastlee (6’2” 225 Sr. G/DE), Cohen Craft (6’1” 190 WR/DB), and Asher Hamilton (6’2” 260 Jr. G/DT) are other notable returning players (though the latter is injured). The senior class is nine-deep with Bleifus, Grafe, Hubbard, Soltau, Armagost, Eastlee, Craft, Brysen Holst (5’6” 140 G/DL), and Knut Johnson (5’9” 205 G/DT). But they have just two juniors. GM gets going by playing at defending section champion Mabel-Canton. Their four home games are all weeks two thru six, versus Kingsland (two), L-O/L/P (three), AC/G-E (five), and Houston (six). Sandwiched between (week four) they are at Lanesboro while finishing up at W-K and Faribault B.A.
Lanesboro will look to climb up and out of the lower end of the standings this year. Since winning the section in 2020 (COVID year), and then falling in the section title games in 2021 and 2022, it has been a tough go with just two total wins. Last year, the Burros went 1-7 in the South-East. They fell to M-C in the first round of the 9-Man Section 1 playoffs and finished 1-8. Coach James Semmen had one All-District player in heavily used QB/S Mason Gilbertson (129-426 yards, 8 TDs rushing; 364 yards passing, 3 TDs; 62 tackles, three interceptions), but he graduated. All-district honorable mention selection David Harvey (RB/LB > 85-309, 3 TDs rushing; 3 sacks 56 tackles) also was a senior, as he was the team’s main ball carrier after Gilbertson. Eight seniors moved on. The Burros only returning honored player is A-D HM pick Henry Semmen (Jr. TE/DE > 47 tackles, 4.5 sacks). The six-man senior class includes veterans Cooper Hovland (OL/DL), James Cullen (OL/DL), Liam Miller (TE/DE), Carson Nagel (OL/DL), and Beau Lacey (OL/DL) plus Pablo Hernando (RB/DB). Quadyn Kettner (Jr. RB/LB), Preston Clarke (Jr. RB/DB), Jackson Hearon (Jr. OL/DL), Cooper Holtegaard (So. TE/LB), Braylen Hanson (Jr. QB/S), and Teague Tessum (So. QB/CB) are key returning non-seniors. Tessum took snaps at QB when Gilbertson was hurt. The Burros have some size, as the line should easily average over 200 pounds. Lanesboro starts the year at Houston and AC/G-E. They then host M-C and GM. In the second half, they are at B.A., host L-O/L/P, are at SG, and host Kingsland.
Leave a Reply